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Zerrex found himself laying in bed some hours later, not entirely sure of what time it was... and then he sighed when he checked the clock and saw it was nearly midnight. Not exactly late by his standards... but admittedly, a bit later than he'd hoped it was. Right now, Cherry was out, prowling the streets, and Cindy was running a few tests in her room with the little lab equipment she had... and who knew what Marina and Mahihko were doing.

Driz was sleeping in the lava lamp in the den: he'd returned two hours ago, tired and moody, and he said he'd been unable to find Mercy anywhere. Zerrex had felt something strange inside himself at the sight of his son looking so sad and defeated, and he'd done what he could to comfort him... but words had only made Driz grouchier, and he had finally simply retreated to the lava lamp, muttering that it made a serviceable resting station for him for now. The reptile just hoped it would help him rest, whether it seemed a bit ludicrous or not... on the physical plane, Driz seemed to need a constant charge of electricity through his form to even come near the range of being comfortable.

Zerrex absently tapped at the armlet as he sat up, wearing only his boxers... but in only a few moments, the nanomachines from the armlet spread over his body and took on the consistency, shape, and texture of the perfect shirt and pants. He flexed against it, and his muscles bulged... but unlike real cloth, instead of tearing, these clothes stretched even further and were able to reshape against his body in a way that even the special material produced for size-shifting Dragokkaren and other beings was unable to stretch and mold.

He looked over himself with faint amusement, then he finally stood up and left his room, toying with the armlet's commands a bit more before he slid down the ladder and made his way into the kitchen. Mahihko had been especially impressed with the armlet when he'd seen it... of course, the little wolf had thought at first that it was just a really big watch until he'd been shown just what it could do.

Sammy jumped up on the table, and Zerrex petted him absently, the pseudodragon chirping at him as the reptile opened the fridge and began to browse through it. He pulled out a box of shrimp after a moment, and a small, half-full tin of sauce, and then he sat himself down at the table as he opened the box and handed one of the shrimp to Sammy, who took it in his little claws almost solemnly. "You know, I think I'm fat sometimes."

The pseudodragon nibbled at his breaded shrimp, then he squeaked before continuing to gnaw hungrily at it, apparently finding it to his liking as Zerrex sat back and began to eat again. He mused for a moment on all the things he could do with this food, how he should be giving it out to the hungry instead of eating it himself when he didn't even need to eat as a demon... and then he picked up another piece of shrimp, dipped it in the sauce, and munched it up, closing his eyes and relaxing a bit against the chair. We could have ended world hunger before it began if we really wanted to, though... but people are inherently greedy, and not only do some naturally not care about the world as a whole... we're trained not to care about anything outside of our little cone of compassion, which sometimes doesn't even extend all the way through our own goddamn families. I bet the angels are sometimes glad God isn't alive to see the state the world's in now...

Zerrex leaned back in his chair, then he glanced over his shoulder curiously as Mahihko trudged into the kitchen, clinging to a stuffed doll of none other than Cherry. The Drakkaren smiled a bit at this, as the little wolf came up to his side, sucking on his thumb childishly and wringing the doll with one hand against his body, dressed in an old, discarded nightgown of Cindy's... and then his thumb popped out of his mouth as he gave the Drakkaren big, round eyes. "Daddy, I'm not tired and I wanna play with Sammy."

Sammy snorted, looking moodily at Mahihko: over the course of the evening, the little wolf had been more than a bit rough with the pseudodragon, after all. Zerrex shrugged a bit... and then he paused, looking over his shoulder curiously as Mahihko sat down and Lone tromped into the kitchen, yawning and ignoring them as he made his way to the fridge. He grabbed a carton of milk, then made as if to chug from it... but at a glare from Zerrex, he mumbled and instead trudged over to get a glass, his tight boxers swaying around his thighs as he said over his shoulder: "Tell him to stop hogging the goddamn bed. It's fucking freezing in here, I dunno how you assholes stand it. We need more blankets." A pause as he jiggled the carton a few times over his muzzle, adding: "And more milk, too!"

Zerrex sighed and muttered under his breath about immature children, and Lone glowered at him before he guzzled his glass, letting out a sigh and wiping at his muzzle afterwards before he sat down in a free chair, shoving Sammy out of the way so he could steal a handful of shrimp from Zerrex's box. He grinned at him sheepishly when he gave him a flat look, then he reached out and snagged the sauce, saying mildly: "Hey, you don't want us going hungry, now do you? Things are crazy enough around here as it is."

Zerrex grunted, and then Mahihko reached up and tugged on his pants gently, and Zerrex looked down at him before the tiny, effeminate lupine asked: "Can you tell us a bedtime story? Lone snores a lot and I really don't feel tired at all."

"Then stay awake, and I'll stay in bed and sleep, and you can watch your... hug bears movie or something." Lone said flatly, and Mahihko immediately began to pout as the wolf shoved two shrimp into his muzzle, chewing loudly. "Anyway, aren't you like, forty by now?"

"You should know, you're the same age as me." Mahihko muttered, and Lone looked stupid at this as Zerrex snorted in amusement. He offered a shrimp to the little wolf, and he beamed and took it before he crawled up onto his father's lap, looking up at him shyly before Zerrex nodded and allowed him to help himself to the food. "Thank you, Daddy. But when did you even come out, anyway? I didn't let you out."

"You let everything come out." Lone muttered, and Mahihko blushed, rubbing at his muzzle awkwardly for a few moments. Then the larger, masculine wolf belched, and he cleared his throat, excusing himself as Zerrex wondered which one was worse: Lone thought he was a frat boy and Mahihko thought he was a little girl. "Anyway, fairy, we can join back together later. Cindy was talking about not doing it too often, though, so we should stay split apart for now."

"So what do you think of me inviting you two alone with me to Lunis, to take care of things?" Zerrex asked in a casual voice, and Lone immediately began to choke, hammering his chest with a fist as his eyes bulged, and Mahihko whimpered and curled up against his father's body. The reptile waited a few moments, and then Lone spat out a large piece of shrimp, and Sammy hissed at him before he flicked it hard with his tail.

The half-chewed piece of shrimp exploded into fragments that rained down over Lone's face, and he screeched in pain after a moment, flailing his arms as he shook his head back and forth before making a mad stumble for the sink. "My fucking eyes! There's sauce in my eyes, holy shit, it fucking burns!" A pause as his cries were drowned out by him turning the water on, and he shoved his head under the tap before howling and whacking his head off it as steaming water shot down over his face. "Shit, hot!"

Zerrex gently set Mahihko aside and stood up, adjusting the taps before he grabbed Lone firmly by the back of the neck. When the wolf flailed, Zerrex grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back, and the wolf yelped before he quieted and allowed the Drakkaren to guide his face under the running water, rubbing wildly at his eyes with his other hand. After a few moments, the lizard released him and stepped back, and Lone let his eyes rinse out a moment longer before he stepped away from the sink and straightened, picking up the nearest dishtowel and quickly wiping his soaking features with it. "Fucking dragons."

Sammy huffed at this, then he jumped off the table and left the room, looking offended. Zerrex shook his head, then he made a face as Lone brushed the crumbs out of his fur... before the white wolf looked sour as the lizard leaned back and pointed at the floor. "You think I'm gonna... oh. Oh, you mean that, yeah, I can do that."

Lone cleared his throat after a moment, and Zerrex didn't even want to know what had been going through his mind... although he could certainly guess, as the wolf grinned embarrassedly up at him as he quickly picked up the bits of shrimp off the floor before he tossed them into the sink and washed them down the drain. Then he sat back in his chair with a sigh, rubbing at his head slowly before he pointed at Mahihko, who was quietly chewing on a piece of shrimp but still looking nervous. "Dude, we have to go."

"But Lone! I don't wanna go up against Father..." Mahihko whined, and then he looked awkwardly at Zerrex, wincing a bit as an ashamed look passed over his face. He fidgeted on the spot, then opened his muzzle as if he was about to speak... before he closed it again and simply whimpered, squeezing his Cherry doll close to his chest.

Zerrex looked at this for a moment... it was one of Mahihko's treasured possessions, and a toy that was part of a set. For art class, Marina had sewn dolls of their entire family, designing them like stuffed cartoon animals so they were thick, durable, and snuggly. He smiled faintly as he reached down, picking it up quietly and examining it... and Mahihko leaned up, little hands grasping into the lizard's thick, muscular limb as he asked worriedly: "Is everything okay?"

"Mahihko, there's a wolf doll that Marina made too... that means you're part of this family now. And I guess that means Lone must be, too." Zerrex said softly, and Lone smiled warmly as Mahihko beamed, although he also still looked quite worried. "Your biological father will always be your biological father... but blood ties do not a father make, as I've learned. It's a romantic notion that... families automatically care for their kin and offspring. But people still find each other and become families even when they have no family of their own.

"Look. It's going to end up being your choice... but even if you want to stay, Mahihko, Lone still wants to go, and that means he'll have to... I dunno how you do it, but he'll have to be the one 'out' during the Lunis trip." Zerrex said seriously, and Mahihko whimpered a bit, looking at Lone and not seeming to like this idea. "But as far as I'm concerned, Tobias Wulfe isn't the father of you or Lone anymore... now that's my job. And where I might normally hesitate to step between a child and his parent, however terrible... you two have given yourselves to me, and you're both far different and more mature than Lone... and even he didn't exactly think of his dear old dad with a whole lot of love and affection."

"He scares us." Mahihko lowered his head, and Lone hesitated, but then he nodded quietly as well, looking down embarrassedly. "Tobias is dangerous."

Zerrex didn't doubt that: any corporate mastermind was usually plenty dangerous in their own right, but Tobias sounded like he was dealing in more than just corruption and greed these days. The Drakkaren only nodded, and then Lone looked up, saying in a pleading voice to Mahihko: "But don't you get it? That's exactly why we gotta do it... why we have to go to Lunis.

"We need to... face him. I mean... what kind of father abandons their only son after all these years?" Lone shook his head slowly, murmuring softly: "Never returned a single phone call to Baskin's Grove, never kept in contact before, during, or after any of the Wars... never tried to find us, and locked himself away so deeply that it was nearly impossible to find out whether or not he was still alive. Even his attendants didn't care we were alive... do you remember that one day we phoned up the old Wulfe Corporate line, after the Great War, and they just told us to fuck off? Goddamn... I want answers. I know you do too... we deserve answers, goddammit."

Lone bit his lip, and Mahihko mimicked the expression, before the little wolf finally nodded, trembling a bit as he took a few long breaths before he finally looked up at Zerrex, whispering: "But only if you'll be there every step of the way... I... I can't do it alone."

"Maybe you can't." Lone muttered, crossing his arms, but his eyes were looking at Zerrex with their own silent plea as well. The Drakkaren glanced from one to the other, and in that glance, he saw how similar they were despite how different their bodies and personalities seemed... and finally, he nodded a bit.

They both relaxed... and then Zerrex asked Lone curiously, for some reason figuring that he would be the one who'd know: "How well do you remember Lunis? And not the Lunis during the Demon War, the old Lunis? I hear they've rebuilt a lot of it and if you still have the old Lone's memories intact..."

"Too many of 'em." Lone grunted, making a face as he crossed his arms over his naked chest, before he glanced at Mahihko and ordered: "Go get me a blanket, my nipples are freezing off."

Mahihko gladly dashed off to do this, and Zerrex wondered if they would be able to bear the separation: the distance wasn't much, but the reptile did still clearly remember what happened the one time they'd tried to part the two wolves. The little wolf returned seconds later, however, and Lone muttered a thank you before he looked sourly at Mahihko as he leaned up on his tip-toes with big eyes... and finally, the masculine lupine turned his head to the side, and the tiny, effeminate male beamed before kissing him on the cheek and bouncing back over to his father.

Zerrex snorted in amusement as Mahihko curled up near his feet, and Lone muttered something under his breath as he wrapped the thick blanket around himself, shivering a bit as he looked back and forth. He was still gathering his thoughts, however, and for some reason, it seemed almost painful for the white wolf... and tempted as Zerrex was to make a crack about it, he kept his mouth shut, figuring patience would pay off better than insults with the tough-acting but sensitive lupine.

And then Lone looked up and nodded after a moment, smiling a bit. "Yeah, I do remember it now, Boss, I remember it clear as day. The giant city, the streets, the districts, the underground, the honeys... oh, the sweet honeys..." Lone grinned a bit, half-closing his eyes as he daydreamed for a moment or two, before the sound of Zerrex clearing his throat brought him back to his senses and he nodded quickly again, saying dumbly: "I remember."

"Alright. Then you two need to look up information on... Tobias, as well." Zerrex had almost said 'your father,' but was glad he'd managed to stop himself. Saying that could have very well caused either Lone or Mahihko - the latter half-snoozing on his feet despite claiming he wasn't tired - to flip out a bit. "You can use old sources to try and get information on him... although I'd recommend that you be the one who talks to people, Lone, and Mahihko can do the tracking-down online."

"Why?" Mahihko frowned, looking up curiously from Zerrex's feet, and the Drakkaren wondered absently if the little wolf could hit and hold a high C note if he tried. Then the little lupine sniffed and stood up, yawning... and Lone yawned as well, reaching a hand up through the blankets to cover his mouth. Finally, Zerrex did his best to resist, but he also yawned, stretching widely... and Mahihko giggled before poking him in the jaws, saying warmly: "Daddy's got a funny mouth."

"Daddy's got a cute mouth." Lone said lecherously, rubbing his hands together, and then he coughed at a glare from Zerrex, hopping to his paws as he mumbled something about the cold. Then he trudged over to Mahihko, grasping one of his shoulders as he looked down at Zerrex. "Hey, I know, me and the little guy will start our research now... then we can be ready for whenever you need us to be, so we ain't rushing around at the last minute or like."

The Drakkaren knew that Lone was kissing a little bit of ass here to try and make a good impression... but he wasn't about to complain, either, as he nodded and gestured for them to go. "Good idea. Let me know immediately if you find anything."

"Okay, Daddy!" Mahihko said brightly, and before Lone could say or do anything, the little wolf grabbed the larger lupine's hand with one of his own and pulled him towards their room, the Cherry-doll dangling from his other hand as he said excitedly, his voice fading down the hall: "We're going to have such a great adventure and learn so much, you and I! What do you wanna do first, huh?"

Zerrex shook his head a bit, rolling his eyes and smiling to himself as he heard the door shut, and then he picked up the box of shrimp and shook it. One last piece of shrimp jiggled around inside, and the Drakkaren took it out... before Sammy leapt out of nowhere and snatched it, running across the table and then chewing it quickly up. Zerrex glared at him, raising the box to throw it at the pseudodragon, and then he settled for pointing at him instead, saying sourly: "Don't press your luck, punk. Food is a precious resource, and I am hungry."

Sammy swallowed, then he cleared his throat before he said in a perfect mimic of Cherry's voice: "How about you have yourself a nice tall glass of shut the fuck up?"

"Sammy!" Zerrex did throw the box this time, and the pseudodragon squawked as he was knocked off the table, landing with a loud thump on his back. The piece of shrimp flew through the air, and the Drakkaren lunged forwards, catching it in his hand before he quickly gobbled it down as the stunned little dragon looked up at him, and the reptile pointed at him and pantomimed firing a gun, saying mildly: "And that's why I'm the one in charge."

The pseudodragon mumbled on the floor, rolling up to all fours and shaking his head quickly, and then he walked over to Zerrex and chewed at his pant-leg, looking a bit embarrassed. The reptile looked down at it with soft amusement, and then he held an arm down to it, and Sammy jumped up to crawl up onto his shoulder, chirping quietly as the Drakkaren said with faint entertainment: "I think you're starting to learn too much from Cherry, however... so you'd better start watching your mouth, huh?"

The little beast on his shoulder chirped again, gnawing at his hair, and Zerrex laughed a bit as he made his way towards the ladder, putting his hands in his pockets and figuring that at least now he had things organized a little bit better... and that today he could get to work on figuring out the rest of things.

Cindy left early in the morning, Zerrex barely getting the time to wish her goodbye before she was out the door, while Mahihko and Lone - still separated, still awake - decided to go out to the library to get some hard research done on the Wulfe corporation. Although most of the libraries across the world had been damaged during the Wars, they still kept a lot of information not just on microfilm, but other, more-advanced methods of keeping track of history's twists and turns, such as a process known as Deep Memory Screening.

DMS systems ran by scanning a person's mind and extracting experiential memories from the brain: in short, it was a system that literally read a person's mind and saved it into a data file that could be either video or text, but without accidentally mixing up memories with dreams. Memories were also run through a filter and censorship system... and that way, multiple people could contribute their memories of a single event, without putting others to risk. Or even worse, of course, showing off memories that are a little or a lot bit embarrassing... or that could expose some very hefty security risks. And of course, there's always the couple who had crazy sex somewhere and wants to make that a part of history...

Zerrex smiled a bit to himself as he sipped at his coffee, absently going over the little information Lone and Mahihko had picked up so far as he wondered who exactly produced the DMS system; he knew that it wasn't any corporation from Ire, but he was pretty sure as well that it wasn't a stolen Hez'Ranna technology. An old enemy, whom he still thought of these days as a dear friend, would have called such public-access systems trivial garbage... but then again, Mengele Tstegi had been an artist when it came to genetic research, and his experiments his symphonies. It was sick and twisted that a person whom so many other people in the world still ardently hated could be thought of as a friend... but Mengele had helped Zerrex destroy Narrius and his Paradise during the Great War, and had been the one to not only free him, but give him his family back.

The Drakkaren took another drink of his coffee, making a bit of a face after a moment: his never tasted as good as Cindy's. Here he was again, thinking about all kinds of things that he didn't really know enough about to be a judge of... serious things, when he should be sitting around relaxing, trying to enjoy this rare time he got by himself to plan things out. Even Marina was gone for the moment, off to her school to attend some classes, and Cherry was out again, scouting through the city to look for any stashes of Wulfe Pharmaceutical cargo.

Much as he loved his family and appreciated their input, sometimes when the reptile sat down with the information, he worked better on his own, making up the plan by himself... and then refining it later, once he'd figured out what everyone should be doing and where they should strike first. Having Mahihko pestering him every five minutes about what this or that meant could get irritating rather fast, after all, and Cherry could be even worse if she got bored and decided to try and 'lighten things up' by making some mischief. Of course, on the other hand, Zerrex liked to work fast and get the crudest plans drawn up quickly, meaning he was already done and now just refining a few details, waiting for the others to get back with additional information and provide their own input and ideas.

Lunis, after all, had been almost entirely rebuilt... and in fact, it had risen from the ashes like the legendary Phoenix to a potential past even its former technological glory. Employing technology and the supernatural alike these days, Lunis had gone from a massive factory that had been torn to shreds during the Demon War back to its former glory as not only the largest "single city" in the world, but also as a scientific leader... although now, with the mysteries of life after death unraveled, their eyes had turned to space exploration and the stars above.

It was a fitting vision for a country named after the moon... and Lunis was the perfect place to build advanced space stations and spaceships of all type. The country itself was shaped like a disc, a massive island with sheer, dominating cliffs that made it literally almost completely unassailable by the oceans that surrounded it, and it was close enough to Ire to maintain safe trade routes while far enough away that they had some privacy even from vigilantes from the old Republic, who patrolled the shores in hopes of screwing up the relationship between the countries.

In the Great War days, Lunis had posed a threat to the plans of Hez'Ranna and the regime of Patriarch Narrius... but that threat had been cruelly and swiftly exterminated by a combination of ruthless juggernauts and a high-powered EMP bomb that had fried even the insulated circuitry, doing enough damage where it hit at ground zero to not only erase software, but cause hardware and even metal girders to explode from the sheer force of magnetism. Since the entire country was literally nothing but buildings, with a scattering of bio-domes here and there, everything had shut down... and Lunis had begun the slow process of starving itself to death when the ancient emergency generators in its underbelly had shut down and the "farmland" built literally under the city, grown in fake soil and powered by false sunlight and biological tampering, had become arid and dead. Unable to produce food, and blockaded to prevent any escape or trade, most of the population had either starved or gone insane... and that had made it an easy target for Ire after the war.

They had turned Lunis into a gigantic sweatshop, rebuilding only what they felt necessary to keep control of the citizenry and forcing them to produce weapons, technology, and machinery that would be shipped all over Ire and the rest of the world cheaply and efficiently. Then the demons had attacked... and Lunis had once more been ravaged, and Ire had repeated history by setting up a blockade and trapping the remaining people inside the infected city, Ire's government handing down a death sentence on what was still recognized as an individual country without so much as a twitch.

Zerrex and his family had put a stop to that mess: they had not only destroyed the Black Hole, the rip in reality demons were attacking through, but they had also taken down the Ophelia, Ire's prized flagship, and thus crushed the strength of the military blockade surrounding the island. The Drakkaren smiled a bit at the memories, swirling his coffee as he looked down into the inky liquid, and then he murmured: "And even if it was all part of some scheme... I'd do it again, because it was worth it. And now Lunis is back on track... at least publicly."

Lunis did indeed seem to be prospering these days, and with the experimental space probes they were constructing - and had even launched, apparently, something no other country had gotten back to doing yet - he thought they were probably firmly under their own control now, too. It likely helped that Ire was still in shambles, the superpower finally crushed to the point where its representatives had to actually listen to the World Council's recommendations and even the old politicians of Ire's former glory days suffering from such a lack of power they could barely command their own security guards. But it bothered Zerrex that Lunis was also harboring people like Tobias Wulfe and the remnants of the Aztec Corporation... the latter had been producing ruthless Private Military Corporation soldiers and war technologies for both the Miserable Ones and the world as a whole, and gunning down demons, innocents, and anyone else that got in their way so they could become the lords of the wasteland the world had become. Aztec himself and the other masterminds behind the corporation were all long dead, but as companies tended to do, it had been taken over by new owners who had slunk off to some other country, to lick their wounds and try and rebuild their reputation and power.

Zerrex tapped a black-and-white photo of the Wulfe Corporate Headquarters in Lunis... a humongous skyscraper all to itself standing in the rare open square, in a city that was otherwise a forest of towers. He shook his head slowly, making a bit of a face at the size of it... and the scary thing is, I don't even think it's a phallic symbol. It's not just big... it's well-defended, no one can approach it even in a crowd without being seen, and Tobias apparently lives on the top floor, where he can watch over the city and have total control over his territory. The bastard's going to be hard to reach.

Then the Drakkaren looked up as he heard a knock at the door, and he made a face as he realized no one else was home before he got up to answer it himself. He opened it, coffee in one hand, armlet on his wrist and thankfully at least fully-dressed... and then he smiled as a pretty young doe gazed up at him warmly, dressed in a loose white blouse and a pair of comfortable jeans... and behind Mary, Zanbrick was sulking in his black uniform, looking moodily up at him. "Hello, Zerrex... my brother insisted on coming along today to talk to you, I hope you don't mind at all."

"No, come on inside. Can I get either of you coffee or anything?" Zerrex smiled as he stepped backwards, and Mary shook her head with a smile as her brother looked around with that bitter-lemon look still on his face. Then he wrinkled up his muzzle in distaste as Sammy padded towards them, Zerrex automatically heading for the kitchen and the little pseudodragon squeaking at the two curiously, and Mary laughed as Zerrex pointed and said: "That's Sammy. Sammy, this is Mary and Zanbrick. Mary's pretty cool and I guess Zane's okay once you get to know him."

"A familiar." Zanbrick curled his lip in distaste, and Sammy huffed at this, before he turned away, flicking his tail up with a look of offense and walking away, and the deer turned his attention back to Zerrex after a moment, following slowly after the Drakkaren as Mary rolled her eyes, already sitting with the reptile at the kitchen table. "So this is what a demon's lair looks like... it's a lot more unpleasant than I imagined, although I'm glad there's at least no blood on the walls."

"Check the den." Zerrex replied mildly, and Zane shot him a dark look as Mary sighed, looking exasperated. Then the lizard rested back, drinking the last of his coffee before he asked: "So I know this is probably a social visit on your part, Mary, but what about your brother, here? You got something you want to talk to me about?"

"These crystals..." Zanbrick swallowed his dislike to become serious, as he reached down past his cape and produced a shard, tossing it over to the Drakkaren... and Zerrex took it, examining it slowly in the light. "How much do you know about them? Where are they coming from? And what are they doing, stashed all over the place?"

Zerrex motioned irritably for the deer to slow down, glad at least this shard Zane had found somewhere wasn't too big. Crescent shape, though, and smooth sides... it might have been a rune, but it's been broken, and that's bad news. "A company called Wulfe Pharmaceuticals has been importing them illegally... and not just to here, but to Hell as well. These crystals are made from demonic essence... and unless it occurs during a fight by accident, demons can't turn other demons into crystals, and even angels have lost the recipe. It was something mortal mages came up with... but it seems that someone, somewhere, discovered how to start doing it again.

"Demon or mortal, it's bad news, so I'm going to head to Lunis to find out what's been going on and to put a stop to it..." the Drakkaren paused, then he held up the shard, asking in return: "And where'd you find this one?"

Zanbrick didn't even bother with a smart-ass response, shaking his head and saying quietly: "It was inset into an old clock... they were shaping out runes, but not... real runes. More detailing, or decoration. I pried them out and took them before I did some looking around, but there were no others that I could find... but I agree, this needs to stop. People on the streets are becoming more-jittery every day, and more-afraid of demons... although your little stunt yesterday probably helped with that."

"Go to hell, I was defending myself." Zerrex said moodily, and then he put the shard down and shook his head, rubbing a hand through his hair. "But since we've got a mutual enemy, maybe we should work together a bit more, Zanbrick. While I'm in Lunis, you and your sister can look around for any deposits of crystal... my family will be here to help you out, too, and even though I'm very sure you won't like Cherry that much, Cindy should be able to keep her in line enough to be cooperative."

The deer's features curdled, and Mary sighed, looking at him mildly. "Oh, please, don't start on this, Zanbrick, you promised me you wouldn't." She paused, glancing over at Zerrex to add dryly: "He's still not on board with the idea of me being a hunter, much less you being my Patron."

Zerrex shrugged amiably, and the deer sighed in disgust before he reached for his belt again. At first, Zerrex wondered absently if he was going to get shot... and then he tilted his head instead when the deer produced a roll of parchment. He quickly opened this as Mary sighed, looking both embarrassed and irritable... and then the Drakkaren stared when the deer unrolled the scroll and read in a clear voice: "Alliances between Patrons and their Chosen become null and void when said Patron fails to provide for said Chosen, whether that person is an icon, warrior, or other. In the instance of a nullified alliance, the ranking officer in the stance that aforementioned person was a part of a predesignated unit or a former guardian or mentor figure - not excluding teachers, elder Clan members, and parental figures - may choose to take the person in for a short period and assist them in discovering a new Patron."

"Is that the code? I thought it was in a booklet or something." Zerrex said dumbly, then he frowned as Mary pulled out her book and handed it over to the Drakkaren, making Zane squawk in horror at some likely breach of some rule or another. "Thanks."

The Drakkaren began to idly flip through it as Zane spluttered in shock, and then Mary said mildly, leaning towards the Drakkaren: "He thought that one of the original Scrolls of the Silver Wind Clan would have more effect on you. Something about demons respecting authority."

"That's devils. You should meet this friend of mine, she's an Ice Devil, real big on logic." Zerrex said absently, as he continued to flip through pages, reading rules here and there and amazed by just how many of them there were. "And yet I almost always win arguments against her... mostly because my retard-logic trumps sound-logic any day. It's hard to argue with someone too stupid to understand you and too stubborn to care if they did."

"My sister does not have a summoning implement, you have not taught her martial skills, you have continued to let her... live her normal life!" Zanbrick interrupted, quickly rolling the scroll back up and putting it back in the case at his side, and Zerrex glanced up over the booklet as the deer jumped to his feet, his features flushed with anger. "You have disobeyed every law of the pact and... you don't even know what out Clan stands for, or even what we are! In our blood flows the blood of demons, diluted over the centuries until we can control our urges, but strong enough still that in us are supernatural abilities that permit-"

Zerrex leaned over to Mary, asking in a conspiratory voice: "Does that mean if you hit him with one of those crystal thingies, he'll get sucked into it?"

"No, that only works on full-blooded demons." Mary smiled nonetheless, and Zanbrick glowered at Zerrex, as if blaming him for both the question and the answer. Then the doe cleared her throat, asking the Drakkaren curiously: "So did you plan on starting to teach me, soon?"

"You already have some of my memories and we shared some abilities, right? The best way to learn isn't always with someone else... you need to learn how to harness some of those powers by yourself, in your own time." Zerrex paused as Zane opened his mouth, and the Drakkaren closed the book in his hands loudly, adding clearly: "After all, your brother didn't exactly display the strongest powers out on the battlefield."

Zane shut up at that, looking suddenly embarrassed, and then Zerrex looked thoughtfully at Mary. "But you know what? I think I have the perfect place for us to practice a bit... and you can come too, Zanbrick, if you'll put up with me actually doing my job."

The deer only muttered, but at Mary's delighted look, his resolve weakened and he finally nodded. Zerrex smiled at this, and then the Drakkaren stood up, saying mildly: "Well, give me just a minute then... you two look like you need to talk a little, anyway, while I get some things."

Ten minutes later, Zerrex came back just as the siblings finished arguing, Zanbrick looking huffy but embarrassed and Mary smiling but a bit flushed. Then she tilted her head curiously when Zerrex handed her one of his old straight katanas, the Drakkaren saying softly: "This is an old weapon of mine, that my youngest daughter uses now. We'll start with this, since it seems you grew up around swords and I can assume you know the basics... then we'll move through other weapons. Not that I plan to get into weapon-uses right away, but where we're going, it might be dangerous, so I want one on hand just in case."

"Thank you, Zerrex." Mary took it almost reverently, and Zanbrick muttered as he brushed at his own katana, before they both stared as the Drakkaren next held out a heavy, silver-plated .45. It was a gun with plenty of kick, but he thought that she might just be able to handle it... and she took it carefully, gazing over it as if she'd never held a gun before and asking meekly: "But isn't this against the code?"

"So?" Zerrex shrugged, and when Zanbrick began to fume, he merely grinned at the deer, saying mildly: "Hey, I said I'd teach her, not that I'd follow any of your rules. Besides, it'll help develop your arm strength, and a few good .45 rounds to the face will take down even an angry minotaur. Now come on, both of you."

They followed, the male muttering about this and that, trying to dissuade his sister... but Mary seemed to have been deeply-touched by Zerrex's confidence in her, and she looked ready to follow him to the ends of the world if necessary, despite her brother's badgering. They both looked surprised when they ended up in front of a rusted, ugly metal door... and Zerrex yanked this off where they'd placed it into the wall with a grunt, before he slipped the last item he'd picked up off his shoulders and rigged it against the doorframe: a long rope with a heavy hook at one end, so the other two could actually make it down the shaft leading below the house. It seemed so long now since he and Cherry and Cindy had discovered the terrible secrets deep under the ground... and it brought a strange smile to his face as the reptile looked over his shoulder, saying mildly: "Most of the undead and... other nasty things we cleaned out, but there might still be other ugly creatures down here. Oh, before I forget... can either of you see in the dark?"

"It's a standard trait passed on from demons to mortals because it only adjusts light perception and reception in the eyes, and thus has a low physiological impact." Zanbrick said stiffly, and Zerrex looked at him stupidly as the deer snapped: "I spent my life growing up learning this, and I was schooled in a lot more than just the physical, Mister Zerrex. Are you ready to move or not?"

"It's a big shaft, so don't leap like me. Use the rope, it should be pretty secure." Zerrex said mildly, and then he grinned at Zane. "I said 'big shaft.'"

With that, he turned and leapt into the darkness, and seconds passed before he hit the cracked cement, wincing a bit at the impact. The Drakkaren looked back and forth as he stepped out of the faint light shining down from above, still able to hear Zane arguing with his sister about something even as the rope hanging above his head twitched, letting him know someone was coming down... and then he reached down and tapped a few buttons on his armlet, deciding to see what else he could get working.

After a few moments, the disc portion buzzed before it began to glow brightly, and it lit up a short area around him, giving the reptile a different view of the caverns than his nightvision did. He frowned a bit as he hopped the short trench onto the long, rotten ground... and although he didn't hear anything, the reptile also knew the undead could be sneaky. He turned the light off with the same command that turned it on, and then he tried a few other buttons, figuring the armlet had been built as a tactical device... and a moment later, a holographic readout appeared as the armlet released a loud ping, and several red dots appeared on what the Drakkaren guessed was a radar screen.

The only problem was that the screen didn't have any measurements on it, and it also lacked a sensitivity measure. The blue dot at the center he figured was him... while the red dots he guessed were people or living things, and there were vague shapes in green lines that he guessed formed walls and surfaces, but they were very hard to make out. Zerrex shook his head after a moment, muttering something to himself before he turned it off, and he made a face: there were a lot of red dots below him, and only two above him... I just hope that those are giant unevolved rats or something, and not enemies. The last thing I need is a swarm of skeletons appearing... but I can't exactly take these two out sparring, especially with the city in an uproar over the whole 'demon thing' from... yesterday. Yesterday being about twenty years ago. I hate time differences.

The reptile shook his head a bit, and then he glanced over his shoulder when he heard Mary grunt, watching her kick comically at the air as she dangled from the rope. Zerrex smiled a bit despite himself, then he walked over to reach up and grasp her waist, gently setting her down and saying quietly: "Watch your feet, there's a bit of a jump to the... well... ground, I guess."

Mary nodded, and Zerrex took her lightly by the shoulder, guiding her forwards and then hopping with her to the earth-covered hull of the warship. She looked back and forth at the cavern, then hugged herself and shivered... and when the reptile looked at her, she only shook her head with a faint smile, saying quietly: "It's not cold, it's just... scary."

"There's a lot of demonic energy in the air... corruption taints this whole place. I guess this is your real lair, huh?" Zane asked sourly, as he appeared behind them. Zerrex was admittedly impressed by his stealth, but he was also half-tempted to shove him into the water: at best it was sewage, after all, and at worst it would probably turn him into a freakish comic book mutant. "The ground here is treacherous, too... and... and metal?"

Mary frowned as Zanbrick knelt to dust at the earth, and Zerrex nodded, saying quietly as he gestured the length of the ugly tunnel: "We're standing on the hull of a ship... you'll have to watch your feet here. The only thing is, I honestly have no idea how the ship got in here... or why most of its crew were with it. A lot of them seem to have become the living dead, so be wary... they'll be drawn to me, because of my abilities."

Zane stood up, and suddenly the mighty Devil Hunter didn't look so sure of himself all of a sudden. "I... look, Zerrex, demons are one thing, but the undead are another... they're the bane of life, they hate the living and-"

But Zerrex shook his head at this, saying quietly: "No, that's where you're wrong. A lot of them are angry, true, and a lot of them would sooner eat you than talk to you... but many spirits, and even a few corpses and revenants can be perfectly friendly under most circumstances. It's the living that shun death... death embraces the living.

"The problems arise because we attack them... or, like this crew is, they're confused, angry, and want their lives back... or they're awoken from their slumbers, often to intense pain that they strive to take out on others until they're destroyed." Zerrex gestured at the ship, shaking his head slowly. "A wicked person will become a wicked corpse... but a good person's positive karma leaves a mark on the body, just as evil does. You can't compel a person who was good in life to come back and do bad things... the best you can do there is instead bring the corpse back as a soulless puppet, and puppets dance to the whims of their masters, not themselves."

"How the hell did you learn so much about necromancy?" Zane asked darkly, narrowing his eyes distrustfully at the Drakkaren... but Zerrex only shrugged amiably and turned away, preferring not to talk about White. In life, after all, White had originally held the powers of Mephistopheles Thull, which were now imbued in Zerrex... but unlike the Drakkaren, White had become a member of the living dead, raised by the presence of Mephistopheles in the area. But that was a long story that had taken Zerrex years to nudge out of White, and the lizard didn't feel like telling it to these two... at least, not at the moment.

Mary nudged her brother when he opened his mouth, and then she automatically fell in step behind Zerrex, stumbling a bit here and there as Zane did his best to try and help her along, and then the Drakkaren stopped partway down the long platform, at a smoother area that still had a few ugly pitfalls. "This will do for now. Alright Mary, let's see what you know... Zanbrick, you can stand back for now and watch. Do me a favor, keep an eye on those piles of dirt and any holes in the ground... the skeletons seem to be the nasty kind that can piece themselves back together when necessary."

Zane grunted, but he didn't argue, looking nervously back and forth as Mary blushed and nodded, taking up a very basic, very simplified ready stance... and the Drakkaren wondered how much the Clan had held back from teaching her... or rather, Zanbrick had done, likely to protect her in his backwards, roundabout way. He knew the feeling... but he also knew that in the world they lived in now, the best defense wasn't avoiding conflict altogether, but being prepared for the time when it would strike one's life.

Training went smoothly, and it took a lot off Zerrex's mind: Mary was more than a willing student, after all, and she seemed to have picked up on some of his memories of combat, letting her learn certain techniques with a surprising speed. Even Zanbrick cooled down at bit as he watched Zerrex teach his sister, although every time the Drakkaren got too close, he'd immediately step forwards and bark at him to keep his distance, like an overprotective father chaperoning a school dance. It was cute in its own way, though, and he thought Mary appreciated her brother's protectiveness, even if she hated his interference.

They also practiced with the gun as well, Zerrex pointing at a dirt pile and telling Mary to shoot it... but more interested in how she'd react to the sound in this echoing cave than her accuracy. As he'd expected, the bang of the gun had shocked her, and she'd almost dropped it... but Zanbrick had steadied her, even if he'd been smiling a bit, too. When she tried again, she handled the recoil much better and kept the gun tight in her grips, but only two successive shots seemed to make her dazed, and she had to sit down for a moment to recoup. The Drakkaren could understand, though... suddenly being surrounded by gunfire when you weren't used to it was a hell of a shock on the body, since it wasn't like anything TV could get across.

When they got around to sword training, Zanbrick wanted to take over, pompously drawing his katana and pointing it rudely at the Drakkaren... and Zerrex had slapped it out of his hand like a toy before punching him lightly in the nose, just hard enough to make his eyes water. Mary had covered her muzzle in shock, but he could tell that she was trying hard not to laugh nonetheless... and Zane had allowed Zerrex to take over after a moment, looking moody.

She didn't pick up sword combat as quickly as she did hand-to-hand, but Zerrex wasn't surprised: much as everyone always seemed to want to use a sword, it wasn't always the best choice for a person. She did, however, better understand the concept of blocking and parrying with the weapon than Zerrex had assumed she would, and he was surprised by how she was able to pick up on defensive uses of the weapon extremely quickly, compared to her... rather low offensive ability. He'd never met anyone who could use a sword like a shield before, and he had to admit, it wasn't something he'd expected.

But just as he wanted to expand on that, he heard a loud thud at the entrance to the tunnel, and he looked up in surprise to see Cherry now ambling towards them. Zane immediately looked tense and ready, bringing up his katana... but Mary seemed almost as relaxed as Zerrex even without glancing at him, and Cherry looked over the two curiously before she grinned and asked: "Hey, are we goin' to a kid's party or something as the entertainment? That'd be kinda badass."

"Who are you, demon?" Zanbrick thundered, and then he squeaked as in a single, fluid movement, Cherry lifted him into the air. He tried to move his katana, but she had managed to trap it under her armpit, keeping it uselessly squeezed against her side... and she winked up at him before adjusting his hat on his head, looking thoughtful before she finally took it and tried to plop it on her own.

She huffed as it simply dangled from one of her crescent-shaped fins, then she muttered and put it back on Zanbrick's head, still holding him by the throat as he clung to her wrist and wheezed air in and out, Mary looking a bit more unsure now as Cherry said flatly: "Next time, make me a hat I can wear. I do like the rest of your ensemble, though... capes are so in." She tugged at this lightly, then finally dropped the deer, and he grasped at his bruised throat, gasping in and out as he sat back, and she grinned and put her hands on her hips, saying cheerfully: "My name's Cherry, though, but you can call me 'hot demon babe with the big tits.' Hey, Boss, these two mortals?"

"Technically speaking." Zerrex glanced down at Zanbrick, who mumbled something to himself before he sheathed his sword, probably recognizing it was useless here, and then he gently patted the doe's back, saying softly: "This is Mary, a student of mine now. But what are you coming to report?"

"Uh... fuck me, but there's like, a shitload of stuff stashed all over the goddamn city." Cherry made a face, shaking her head slowly, and Zane looked up as Mary tilted her head with a frown. "I tried to check the marketplace, but people are going fucking bonkers there, dude. Corruption is pretty much ebbing out of some of the stalls but a lot of the Scanners are doing nothing... hell, the shitheads even ignored me, and I like... dude, I was totally offended. Anyway, even worse are some of the warehouses... and they ain't guarded just by mortals, either, some of them have demons posted around them and working inside them, as well as a few angels here and there. I snagged one and he told me that Wulfe Corp promised them amnesty if they did a few chores for them, dude even had a hell of a fake ID, I kid you not."

"Great." Zerrex muttered, shaking his head slowly, and then he looked down at Zanbrick. "Think you'd be able to work with her to take care of some of these places? I figure at least one or two of them must belong to smugglers... and destroying their bases on the mortal plane would be a lot more effective than destroying them down in Hell."

"I need my armlet restored... a real one, not the technological mumbo-jumbo I see you're wearing." Zane sniffed disdainfully at Zerrex's nanotech armlet, and the reptile felt strangely injured as he hugged it to his chest. "But my goddess hasn't yet answered my prayers... yet without it, I can't control my summons."

Cherry grinned and leaned down over Zane at this, winking as she tickled under his chin. "You're so damn cute, but a mouthy little fucker. Maybe me and Cindy can pretend to be your summons for you, and I'll bring another real powerful little summon you can use. His name is grenade launcher and he likes to blow shit up." She paused, then peered at Mary. "What about this bitch?"

"That is my sister!" Zane said in an offended voice, jumping to his feet immediately, and Cherry reared back in surprise as he poked her chiseled abdominals several times. "You watch your tongue around her."

"You want me to make out with tongue with her?" Cherry asked dumbly, and Zane made such a horrible face Zerrex thought he might be having a stroke. Cherry, however, continued to only look stupid, as she rubbed the back of her head... and the Drakkaren had a certain feeling she wasn't faking her confusion. "Or does she not like too much tongue when she gets eaten out? Hey, are you two dating? 'Cause that'd be kinda hot."

Zanbrick muttered something as he rubbed slowly at his face, Mary turning red behind him, and then he said clearly and curtly: "We are brother and sister. Would you kindly step aside so I may leave?"

"Uh, how about... no." Cherry replied cheerfully, then she gently patted Zane on the head, dislodging his officer's cap as she looked at Mary and added seriously: "And like, seriously, babe, what can you do?"

"She's got a bit to learn about combat still, but pair her with Marina or Cindy... she'll be able to get some good intel." Zerrex said mildly, and Zane choked on his own tongue, looking horrified as Mary blushed and rubbed at her head slowly. "It'll be good combat experience for her... and I know they'll be able to keep her safe."

"I am not letting my sister be paired with... common demons! Dangerous demons, even, friends of a rude and arrogant one at that!" Zanbrick shouted, his voice echoing throughout the tunnel as he looked back and forth wildly, and Cherry whistled a bit, putting her hands in her pockets as Zerrex coughed into a hand. "And you, what are you, some... whore-demon here to appease his lusts?"

"Yeah, but I'm also his daughter." Cherry said mildly, and then she grinned cheerfully at the expression on Zane's face before she added in a sincere voice: "And by the way, I think that Daddy-O here agrees wholeheartedly that he would never pair up Mary with his demon friends. Those peeps be his daughters too."

Zane rose a finger, then he dropped it as he turned around to Zerrex, who smiled slightly as he said calmly: "But hey, how about we stop fighting? I promise I won't pair up Mary with a demon, how about that?"

"Good. Then we're agreed." Zanbrick muttered, looking at him with narrowed, suspicious eyes, and Mary's face fell as Zane wrapped an arm around her, saying comfortingly: "Listen, it's for the best... you can come with me to look around the city, and we'll find you someone good to work with that I can be sure won't hurt you..."

"No, she's still working with Cindy or Marina." Zerrex said amiably, and Zanbrick blinked before his jaw fell as the Drakkaren shrugged. "Cindy's an angel and Marina's still mortal."

The deer's mouth worked uselessly for a few moments, and then Mary threw herself forwards and hugged Zerrex tightly, and he hugged her gently back with a laugh as she said warmly up to him, her eyes shining: "Thank you, Zerrex! I promise to do the very best I can, and I won't fail you at all!"

"I know you will." Zerrex gently stroked Mary's face, then he looked at Zane, who was shaking his head in stupid disbelief. "So why don't we all back upstairs? You guys can go home since you probably have a lot to talk about but... come back later tonight, and you can meet the family."

Cherry snorted in amusement as Zanbrick nodded dumbly, likely not knowing what to even do at this point. He and Mary did follow his advice, however... both bits of it, the two coming back and Zane looking disheveled and still confused, as if he simply couldn't fathom what had happened. Mary, on the other hand, was bright and happy, wearing a jeans jacket over her blouse now and thanking Zerrex warmly again for the chance to prove herself.

They walked into the kitchen to find everyone clustered around the table that wasn't exactly comfortable for all of them, but somehow Cindy had managed to bring in enough chairs to at least fit them all together if they scrunched in a bit. Zane looked almost horrified at the group, not seeming to want to believe his eyes: from Mahihko and Lone, two 'normal' looking wolves sitting beside each other, one dressed like a girl and the other like a male trying his best to pretend he wasn't gay... to Driz, the demon's dark energy a bit more-reinforced now and his foot resting on a charger for a cell-phone that was plugged into the wall, a bottle of iron supplements open in front of him. Vitamins seemed to recharge his electricity a little, and Cindy was still trying to get him to at least try eating a bowl of soup, but he was hesitant to go through this whole 'eating' process, something he'd never had to do in Hell.

Marina was absently doodling in her sketchbook, and Cindy offered the two tea as they sat down... but Zanbrick only took out a flask and drank slowly from it, while Mary smiled and nodded courteously. There was a murmur around the table as Zerrex sat, but then he tapped on it for quiet, as he said clearly: "Everyone, this is Zanbrick and Mary, of the Silver Wind Clan... they're the ones I told you all about earlier."

"Hunters." Driz looked disgusted, as he poured a few supplements into his hand and absorbed them directly into his body, instead of actually eating them. Zerrex couldn't help but stare a little, watching the way they moved through his body as they were broken down, faintly visible inside the dark, semisolid arm of his son for a moment. "I don't know why we need them."

"Because of the Scanners." Zerrex said mildly, and Driz didn't argue with that, shrugging a bit and looking down moodily. The Drakkaren looked at him for a few moments, and then he said softly: "Mary and Zane, I'd like you to meet Cindy, Marina, Mahihko, Lone, and Driz. And of course, Sammy is running around somewhere, listening to this conversation, but you know him, and I'm sure you remember Cherry."

"Yo." Cherry rose a hand, winking at Zanbrick, but he only looked repulsed before she cleared her throat and tapped her fingers on the table, adding: "Before we start, like. Lemme just say that I will try and be as professional as possible, but if you start acting like an asshole, I'm gonna break your fucking face."

Zane paled at this, likely realizing that Cherry could do it, and Mary gently squeezed her brother's arm: whether to comfort him or stop his mouth from saying something he would very quickly regret, the reptile didn't know. He figured it didn't matter, either, as everyone turned their attention to him... and Zerrex cleared his throat before he said quietly: "Alright everyone, here's the plan.

"I have a meeting with the President of Ire, who I plan to discuss my concerns with." Zerrex started, and Zane and Mary looked surprised - although the former also had a certain tinge of envy to his features, the kind that came with doing a thankless job and becoming resentful of those who managed to get recognized for their work. I know it well... I used to have that expression on my face all the time. Still haven't gotten over that bad habit. "Afterwards, I plan to get to Lunis as soon as possible... and I'll be taking Lone and Mahihko with me, for their knowledge of the city's structure. I realize it's likely changed greatly, but the way the country works should still be at least faintly the same... and they'll also provide me with access to the old Wulfe mainframes, assuming they're still intact."

The two nodded, Mahihko quietly hugging himself as Lone rubbed a hand at the black vest he was wearing over his otherwise naked chest. It was zipped closed over his masculine frame, and Zerrex thought the boisterous lupine's behavior was excessively shy tonight, as he didn't speak even when the reptile gave him the chance to. So instead, he continued on himself: "Cindy, Cherry, Marina, you'll stay here, and I'd like Mary and Zanbrick to assist them in any way possible."

Zane's face tightened, but Mary quickly spoke before he did, stomping on his foot under the table at the same time to make him wince instead of talk. "We'd be glad to, Zerrex... any way we can help, just let us know."

She glared at her brother, and he mumbled something, making the Drakkaren smile before he glanced at Driz, who was looking sourly away. "Driz... I need you to actually find the bases and disable as much of the security as you can. They may have secondary generators or be off the grid, however... and in that event, you can still act as a scout and provide all the information my... B-Group will need."

Driz turned his eyes to his father, and then he finally nodded, his mood improving even as he looked a bit sulky, saying dryly: "I'd prefer a more-active role, but I'll take it."

"Good, because that is the most important part of the operation." Driz frowned at this, and Zerrex shrugged absently. "Wrong information about an area, or a high-power security system could lead to casualties, and that's not something we can afford. Besides, if you can actually get inside their security system... I know you have the power to turn it against them, and that you can even slip inside secure vaults and possibly access technology and hidden stashes of crystals no one else can get to." He paused, then added in a quieter voice: "Don't worry. I'm not going to make the mistake of undervaluing your usefulness... and your worth. You're my son, after all."

Zanbrick seemed startled by this, but Mary only smiled warmly, looking touched... while Driz tried to keep his stony expression, although he seemed a bit humbled nonetheless as he nodded and grunted. Zerrex smiled at him, reaching up to squeeze his shoulder firmly, and then he sighed mentally as he looked at Cherry, who was grinning eagerly now. "Cherry, I want minimal kills on this mission, but... I'm putting you in charge of making sure everyone's well-armed. I don't want you to go crazy but... use whatever arsenal you can get and don't hesitate to blow up what you need to blow up."

"Fuck yes. I totally love you, Boss." Cherry brought her hands up, twiddling her fingers together as she looked delighted. "Thermal charges are a go, in that case. I'm gonna raid me an armory."

Zerrex sighed and muttered under his breath, then he looked at Marina, who was sulking quietly, her arms crossed on the table... but the moment her father's eyes settled on her, she visibly cheered up, as he said softly: "Marina, I'd like you to go with Mary. You two can scout the outer area and slip past or silently eliminate patrols while Driz deals with the interior and the compound area. Plus you two can also move in the crowd and the Scanners won't detect you... meaning you have a freedom that none of us others have. I want you to use that freedom to its full power. You'll be going in ahead of even Driz, looking around for entrances and finding good starting points for the others, and during the conflict, you're our heaviest hitter, Marina."

Zanbrick looked confused at that, but Marina looked proud of herself as she nodded, whatever arguments she seemed like she'd wanted to make earlier forgotten as she said warmly: "You're a sweetheart, Daddy... don't worry, I know exactly what you mean..." And I'll take good care of her. Marina's voice whispered in his mind, and the Drakkaren nodded, looking at Mary with a slight smile as she gazed curiously first at his daughter, and then at the father.

"Your job is to stay alive, first and foremost." Zerrex said softly, and Mary nodded, taking things seriously. She wasn't acting like a hyperactive rookie who was anxious to get out and kill or be in the middle of the fight... she seemed to recognize that gaining combat experience and seeing how the battle worked, easing her way into the middle of it, would be best for her. Zerrex didn't want to put her at risk, but at the same time, he also wanted to make sure she really realized what she was getting into... so he added softly: "But do what Marina tells you to do, even if it seems dangerous. I know she'll protect you, no matter what... and analyze the battle. If you get a chance to pick up something important, however, I suggest you take it. There may be more artifacts there than just demonic crystals."

Mary nodded, and Zane muttered something in her ear before the Drakkaren said mildly: "Zanbrick, I want you to go with Cindy and Cherry, as the main attack team. Cherry will be a bit rough on you, but as long as you listen to her and don't mouth off too much, you'll be fine, and Cindy can watch your back for trouble. I know your combat abilities aren't at... peak performance right now without your summons... but I think you can deal with a few soldier demons on your own."

"Just be warned, I'll be capturing the demons I can." Zanbrick said icily, looking disgusted as he sat back in the chair at the Drakkaren's implications. It was true, though... he had been messy in combat, and Zerrex would prefer him a bit demoralized than charging in like a pompous idiot and screwing himself over again, like he had in his fight against the lizard. "And if my sister gets hurt..."

"She'll be fine." Marina said absently, sketching in her book again, before she looked up and added with a smile to her father. "He doesn't trust you or like you at all, but he's more afraid that Mary's going to fall for you than that you'll get her hurt, which is a good start, right, Daddy?"

Zane winced, covering his head almost comically as Mary blushed, but thankfully Marina became enraptured in her art again instead of invading people's minds, and Zerrex felt relief spread through his body. She could have crumbled the whole meeting... but he knew his daughter had grown a bit more appreciative of keeping the peace over chasing her own desires, and he was glad of it.

He paused, then looked at Cindy, who tilted her head expectantly. "Cindy, you're part of the attack team." He paused lamely, not knowing how to phrase things without sounding repetitive. "I want you to assist Cherry, watch Zanbrick and... oh, use your abilities to get a surprise attack whenever you can. The faster we take them down, the better... and yes, you don't have to use lethal tactics."

"Thank you, Father." Cindy said softly, smiling across at him, before she asked quietly: "What if I come across a research sample or advanced technology?"

"You can study it or destroy it, I'll leave that up to you." Zerrex wanted to say flat-out that everything should be destroyed... but he trusted Cindy to be able to contain any problems they might come across, and that she wouldn't let anything terrible happen. Besides, technology, whether built for ill or good, can provide answers to a lot of questions... especially if they've been trying to harness the ability to create crystal with it. If we could figure out how they've been making them... we can figure out how to put a stop to it.

He shook his head, clearing away his thoughts after a moment, and then he looked over the group again, saying quietly: "All of you have to work together while I'm gone... put conflicts and petty issues aside, and you all know how serious combat is. Especially you guys." Zerrex added, looking at his family for emphasis, and they nodded slowly: they had all lost a lot to fighting, for as much as they had gained as well. "When you act, act as one unit. I'm designating Cherry as the leader while I'm gone, but don't be afraid to trust your own judgment as well. I know what that sounds like, but it's not insubordination if you follow your gut and it turns out to be the right choice. Learning when to follow orders and when to disobey them is the most important lesson you can all learn: sometimes things don't go according to plan, and we aren't the military, nor are we soldiers of fortune. We're a group of people who have come together to put a stop to an evil thing, an act of wrongness, and a corporation preying on demons and causing havoc in mortal society.

"Cherry, you know what to do if things get out of hand... and Cindy, you know what to do if Cherry gets out of hand." Zerrex smiled a bit at the two, and they both nodded before exchanging a look, Cherry grinning and Cindy looking calm and composed. Then Zerrex put a hand towards the center of the table, saying quietly: "All in."

Hands reached out and touched the top of his, gathering together... and only Zanbrick hesitated, before all eyes turned to him... and he finally nodded, putting his own forwards on top of theirs. Eyes looked back and forth, and then Zerrex said calmly: "For better and worse, we're trying to do what's right. For justice."

"For justice!" The others shouted, and their hands broke apart a moment later, Cherry pumping a fist in the air as her cackling took over the room. Then she grinned and leaned back, kicking her feet up on the table as Zerrex stood and looked solemnly around, thinking of how everyone was after their own personal justice, how so often it was wrong instead of right, how easily it could be corrupted and perverted... and then his eyes settled on Zanbrick, and he smiled at the contemplative look on the deer's suddenly-quiet features... and he thought that maybe at this time, they'd follow the right path for a change.

The talk was still in Zerrex's mind two days later, as he sat with Sammy in the den, tossing him popcorn and watching the pseudodragon catch them as he did tricks like a pet. It was a little bit patronizing... but then again, earlier the situation had been reversed, Sammy getting Zerrex to stand on his hands and trying to catch popcorn slung from the pseudodragon's tiny claws and whip-like tail, until he'd finally taken one to the eye and fallen over.

Cindy was out with Cherry, the two attempting to get access to some old military academy somewhere or something, although it was more likely they'd just end up going to the gun store and buying a bunch of new hardware. They didn't exactly have a lot of money for it, but it was important they were well-armed... and Zerrex figured they could make the cash back quickly enough anyway. Marina and Mary were both out scouting together and getting to know each other... and Zerrex honestly hoped Marina would make a friend. She didn't have many, after all... even on campus at the university, she didn't like talking to people and he knew she could be icy with the other students. He didn't know if she thought she was above them or that they weren't good enough for her, but either way, she wasn't good at being friendly.

Mary, at least, she got along with simply because Mary was so genial. Zanbrick she already loathed, but that was to be expected... although at least he was helping out too, by scouting different places. He knew Driz wanted to go out as well, but Zerrex had made him stay home and sleep for today, which he was doing as always in the lava lamp, and the Drakkaren wondered absently if it was the heat or the electrical charge that the demon found most comfortable.

Mahihko and Lone were at the library again, although of course, Lone had to show off his new fashion statement to Zerrex first: fingerless leather gloves, his strong arms left bare by the black hunting vest he wore zipped-up over his powerful chest, and rugged black jeans that were a little bit used and torn. Zerrex had congratulated him absently while reading an article on demons in the newspaper, and Lone had gotten all huffy before leaving, his oversized, bare paws slapping loudly against the floor as he'd stomped off with Mahihko.

On the bright side, Lone and Mahihko had access the DMS system to get a lot of text and short video files on the Wulfe company's move to Lunis and its rise to power there, and a lot of information about the restructuring of hidden investments that had allowed them to take control of a large portion of the country's businesses. Although one needed special permission to add memory files to the DMS, anyone could access them at any time on one of the closed servers in the library... and Mahihko had also been able to dig up a lot of old newspapers and articles on microfilm about Lunis being rebuilt and the way it was structured now. Thankfully, they had restored the city instead of 'enhancing' it, meaning that they had simply rebuilt everything the way it had been before... and that was an added bonus Zerrex hadn't expected, although he thought that the underbelly of Lunis was likely different, although he prayed they wouldn't have to go down into the twisted catacombs beneath the towering country.

The Drakkaren tossed a piece of popcorn at Sammy, and he leapt into the air and caught it, munching contentedly before they both looked up curiously as there was a loud knock at the door. They traded a look, then Zerrex got up and left the den, heading down the hall to the front door, and he tried to peer through the little eyehole in it before opening it... and finding himself face-to-mask with a black-armored Scanner, his visor down and a rifle loosely hanging across his back, a nasty-looking handgun holstered at one side. Behind him, parked at the curb, Zerrex could seen an armored truck... and the reptile immediately tensed as Sammy hid behind the doorway, bristling.

The soldier reached down, and Zerrex readied himself... before he produced an envelope from his sidepack, with an old-fashioned wax seal on it as he said briskly: "Sir! I am here to inform you that you have been granted the use of a pilot and a JX2 helicopter, sir! I am honored to hand you this formal invitation from the president himself and extend his heartfelt greetings, sir! If I may say so, it is also an honor for me to meet you as well, sir!"

The soldier bowed deeply but quickly, and Zerrex realized he was still holding the envelope out. He took it, then said dumbly: "At ease soldier, uh... the uh, pleasure is mine. Thanks. For that."

"Sir! Thank you, sir, I must now return to duty. Sir!" The soldier saluted smartly, and Zerrex automatically gave him the old Irenic salute in return, striking a fist against his own chest and then his shoulder. The black-armored trooper's body language relaxed immediately, as if they had just traded a secret handshake, and he bowed again - a bit slower this time - before he turned and headed for his truck, and Zerrex watched him climb in the passenger side of the vehicle as Sammy stuck his head curiously around the doorframe, before he looked up and chirped curiously as it drove away.

The Drakkaren shrugged as he closed the door, and he looked slowly over the envelope, wondering if it was going to spew poison gas into his face when he opened it, of it there was some kind of toxin on the paper. Then he shook his head, muttering about spy movies before he finally opened the envelope and pulled out the letter inside... and he unfolded it, rubbing his fingers against the soft vellum paper as he read aloud in a murmur: "'Lord Zerrex Narrius, I have been informed of your meeting under unfortunate circumstances by Miss Elenora Vanderburke of what is cordially-known as the Scanners, and I would first like to extend my most sincere apologies for the events that transpired. I assure you, it will not occur again, and that we will do all in our power to stop the slandering of your name by the media, although it will be difficult with the current anti-demon hype.

"'But please allow me to introduce myself: my name is Travis Balthazar, and I am currently the 'elected' President of Ire, although I use the term loosely, since we all recognize by now I was placed here by global appointment.' At least he's honest, that's a start." Zerrex said mildly, before he returned to reading the gently-curved, eloquent script. "'Although the world would like to deny it, I recognize that we mortals have a distinct relationship with Hell we must do our best to nurture and maintain, and I am deeply interested in meeting you and getting to know your side of the board, so to speak, and to begin negotiations and dialogues that should have been started many years ago by our predecessors. While I recognize that this may perhaps be overanxious on my part, I have placed a military helicopter at your disposal... and recognizing a distrust you may have in Ire as an upstanding government-' Yeah, that's an understatement. '-I have also informed the soldiers that you may be permitted to bring whatever security detail you would like to keep you safe, although I should also note that the helicopter's limit is that of sixteen strong troops, including the pilot. It awaits you at the Belmont Outpost, which is off Highway 632 West.

"'The helicopter will take you directly to the Senate Building in the capital city, no questions asked, whenever you like. I believe you've had some experiences in Ire's capital before, and I am ready to meet with you at any point and time... and I honestly do wish to reinforce that this is an open invitation, and not an order. While anxious to meet with you, I do not wish to come across as forceful or aggressive, or to be anything like my predecessors, with whom you had such difficulties. Be it tomorrow or a year from now, I will gladly meet with you, at your time and discretion.

"'I am not your enemy, Lord Zerrex Narrius, I wish to state that clearly: please come and meet with me as soon as possible: although I fear now that I am revealing how anxious I am to get these talks underway. Please, always remember that you have an ally in me, even if we have not yet met. Your humble servant, Travis Balthazar.'"

Zerrex rubbed at his throat, looking thoughtful as his eyes traced over the letter. Formal but clear, long-winded but... it seemed genuine. He rested back against the wall, and then Sammy chirped at his side, and the Drakkaren smiled a bit down at him, saying mildly: "I guess I'd better pack up some stuff and get ready to go."

Sammy immediately chirped again, jumping up and clinging to his leg, and Zerrex nodded with a bit of a laugh, reaching down to pat his head. "Yeah, you'll come with me... and for this first meeting, I think I only need one good bodyguard." He paused, making a face. "You know, assuming that she behaves herself."

Zerrex shook his head a bit as he headed for the ladder, climbing up to the hallway and heading to his room to begin gathering a few things: necessities, like his dragon-headed cane, and luxuries like his music player and the portable game player. He grabbed his leather jacket as well, figuring he might as well get everything in one place, and checked his wallet: more than enough spare cash to buy a nice meal at some four-star restaurant.

The Drakkaren took his stuff down to the den, arranging objects through his pockets before he sat down on the couch to await the return of the others, figuring he'd leave once everyone got back. While he waited, he turned on the television, found some cartoons playing, and smiled a bit, not feeling like changing the channel. He let himself relax, let himself feel like a child as he tinkered with the high-tech armlet he wore, trying to figure out the other functions it had.

He figured out how to make himself a pair of gloves, and even boots and a hat... and after a few failed attempts, the Drakkaren found himself covered in lightweight body armor, the lizard looking surprised as he glanced over himself. It was body-fitting, with cusps over his shoulder and plating over his stomach, groin, and lower legs... and although it was kinda cool-looking, the lizard quickly realized that it wasn't strong enough to do more than slow blunt force or bullet, as he patted it over. The nanomachines could simulate materials, but they couldn't imitate their consistency precisely, meaning that creating metal was impossible for them.

He wondered just how the nanomachines made their fabrics and materials, if they multiplied or sewed or forged or whatever. He tapped at his breastplate some more, and then he mused a bit to himself as he sat down and entered a few other commands, the nanomachines quickly dissolving the armor and reforming his plain black shirt and pants. Then he glanced up as he heard the door slam, and Cherry's brazen singing filled the house as Zerrex rolled his eyes.

She stomped into the den, then looked at the Drakkaren's stuff curiously before he pointed at the letter laying on the table, saying mildly: "Look what I got from a military courier today, express post. And be gentle with the damn thing, I want to frame it later."

Cherry picked it up and read it quickly over, frowning... and then she tossed it back on the table, asking him curiously: "So when do we leave? 'Cause, you know that like, I'm coming with you, Boss. Ain't no way I'm gonna miss out on meetin' the President himself."

"I figured." Zerrex replied mildly, smiling slightly up at Cherry before he shrugged a bit, saying quietly: "Just you, though, this time around. I don't want to spook him... I'd look stupid or arrogant going alone, but bringing more than you would show a lot of distrust or like I was trying to show off just how important and powerful I am. Just... please. Don't make a scene when I meet him. Or anywhere else."

Cherry shrugged amiably, putting her hands in her pockets. "Fuck you, I'll do fine. The others should be home soon, too... almost quittin' time for Cindy and I'm sure Marina's already on the bus. Unless, you know, some demon chucked it at someone else today."

Zerrex rolled his eyes, and Cherry grinned widely as Sammy chirped. Within a few hours, however, Zerrex's little family was gathered at the kitchen table again, although Zanbrick and Mary were likely at home... and as the sun began to set, Cindy finally sighed and said mildly: "Have a good time, then, I guess. If you're sure I shouldn't go too..."

"You need to stay here with Marina." Zerrex said softly, and Marina blushed, looking at the table before the Drakkaren reached over to pat her quietly on the shoulder. "And you need to stay here to watch Cindy and keep her safe. If this is a ruse, they could attack here... but I know that you two alone could drive them away, while Lone and Mahihko look mortal enough that they won't be paid attention to, even if they set a few alarms off."

"I dunno whether that's a compliment or not. But sure, I'll keep these hot chicks company for you." Lone grinned widely as he leaned back in his chair, winking at Cindy... and when they both glared at him, he winced before falling over, clattering loudly on his back.

Mahihko shook his head, and then he looked mournfully at Zerrex, trying to wring his hands together through the sleeves of his far-too-big sweater. "Daddy, come back soon, 'tay?" He gave him those big, soft eyes of his, and Zerrex smiled a bit before nodding, and the wolf nodded back, looking nervous but confident in his father. "Okay... I love you Daddy."

"You too, kiddo." Zerrex said softly, then he gazed around at them all, adding: "I love all of you." He paused as Driz mumbled something, and the Drakkaren smiled a bit at him, adding softly: "Hey, if there's trouble, you come and let me know, alright? There'll be phone lines you should be able to zip through... and we'll probably be staying in one of the five-star hotels, so you know where to look. I imagine you shouldn't have a problem accessing the registry."

Driz nodded, then he grunted something like 'good luck' before he vanished into the cell-phone charger to scout through the city, as Zerrex had asked him to do once they were getting ready to leave, just in case any big operations were going down, military or Scanner. The Drakkaren glanced around at everyone again, and then he finally sighed before standing up, saying softly as he rested his hands on the table: "Time to go, Cherry."

They prepared in awkward silence, Zerrex throwing on his jacket and resting his headphones around his neck as he double-checked everything, before he tapped his armlet to create a hat and put that on his head, resting on his cane. He slipped on his actual military boots, wishing he'd given them a polish-over before they'd left... but he'd gotten preoccupied, and... now isn't the time to worry about whether or not I insult the host's dignity, there might be something else at play here.

Zerrex shook his head quickly, agreeing with his own mental reprimand as he gave hugs to his family: Marina and Cindy clung to him for a moment, and Mahihko he had to pry off his leg... while Lone grumbled but buried his head against his chest nonetheless, mumbling something to him before he slumped as he stepped backwards, looking embarrassed. Zerrex wondered how long the two had been split apart now... before he looked at Cherry and nodded, and they headed outside, trading a last smile and nod to his family before the door closed.

Cherry stretched, wearing her own leather jacket that concealed a pair of revolvers strapped to either side of her body, her whip hanging from one side of her hips and packs containing all manner of mischief-making materials on the other. She grinned a bit as Zerrex walked around to the narrow alleyway, kicking her spiked motorcycle boots against the ground as she said cheerfully: "Dude, it's been forever since we've done a mission just by ourselves! And even longer since we got to ride double on your pretty black horsie." A pause and a wink. "The other one, I mean."

Zerrex rolled his eyes as he grabbed the handles of his motorcycle and maneuvered it out of the alley, easily mounting it and sliding his cane into the holder... and then Cherry jumped on behind him, wrapping her arms low around his crotch and leaning her bulky body forwards to grind against her back, huge breasts pressing into his spine as the Drakkaren slid the keys into place and turned the ignition. The motorcycle started with a roar, and Zerrex smiled a bit, feeling at ease as he rolled his shoulders to get his hair out of his face, Cherry saying teasingly beside him: "Gun it, Boss. Make me feel like old times."

Zerrex was more than happy to oblige, as he twisted the throttle and immediately shot out onto the cracked road, and the reptile brought a leg down and jerked the handlebars hard to spin the motorcycle around and shoot down the cracked, decimated road, easily riding the bumps and shattered street as people watched the two shoot by at a rate that seemed suicidal. Cherry laughed behind him, clinging to him even though he knew she didn't need to, spooning her body as close as she could... and she shouted warnings every now over the wind, her precognition turning the motorcycling into a game and adding to the high he felt building in his system, that he hadn't had in a long time.

The ride was far too short: twenty minutes of biking across destroyed roads, bouncing up and down wonderfully like they were on a terrible sea, until they hit a wide dirt road where a few cars still travelled. It was a 'highway' leading between cities, ground down and smoothed out... and Zerrex finally slowed as they approached the military outpost, the soldiers in black armor motioning for them to reduce speed... and then one of them gestured at the guard post, and they rose the gates. Zerrex rode through them only because it was a gesture of friendliness, noting there wasn't exactly a fence or anything else surrounding what was little more than some huge tents set up around a helicopter pad... and a soldier motioned for them to stop, clad in dark armor and with two gold bars on his shoulder to denote his rank.

Zerrex tilted his head as he approached, and the soldier saluted sharply, Cherry looking at him moodily as she continued to cling to the Drakkaren like a girlfriend out on a date with her hot rod boyfriend. "Sir, your chopper's waiting for you at Pad 1! You can park your motorcycle in one of the sheds nearby, we'll keep it safe!"

"Thank you, soldier." Zerrex nodded, then he drove forwards again, moving carefully down the road... but soldiers cleared the way for him, and most of them treated him with respect in their body language. There was a wind out here, however, in these abandoned, dirty plains, and most of them had facemasks on... and as the two came close to the huge helicopter, the reptile could understand why, as its blades spun violently and stirred up the ground.

The lizard slipped off the motorcycle as he spotted an open shed, a soldier motioning for him to park and yelling of the whirr of the blades... and he did so, Cherry still sitting astride the motorcycle until the last minute, and she huffed before grabbing the nearest soldier, shouting: "You damage that baby, and I damage your whole goddamn camp, is this understood?"

"Sir yes sir!" came the garbled, high-voiced reply, and Cherry huffed and brushed herself off before she and Zerrex made for the helicopter, the reptile giving her a flat look that she pointedly ignored. They climbed inside, and a soldier ran up and handed them both headsets, looking awkwardly at Cherry's fins... and she looked moodily at the headset in her hand before she sighed and held it up to her ear as the soldier slammed the doors of the huge transport helicopter.

The JX2, Zerrex knew, was one of Ire's newer models, developed during the Demon War by a contractor for the purpose of dealing with aerial demons. It was capable of moving in any direction in midair, and leans to even fifty-degree angles, thanks to the fact the blades were able to lean themselves slightly... and the helicopter's two stubby wings were equipped with over-and-under rocket turrets that launched homing missiles tuned to seek out high sources of bioelectricity: in other words, supernatural energy levels.

The pilot had already climbed in the cockpit, and Zerrex was surprised: true to word, there were no other soldiers with them. What made him suspicious, however, was that no one had tried to scan him or ask for ID... and he put the headphones on as the pilot looked back at them, saying clearly through the headsets as the sounds of travel were muffled around them by the thick armor of the vehicle: "Flight time is two hours, sir! If you ever want to stop, just ask and we stop!"

"Understood." Zerrex gave him a thumbs-up, and the pilot nodded, his features concealed by the visor he wore over his eyes and the heavy helmet. The Drakkaren had no sense of danger, however, and Cherry seemed to even be relaxing... and he took the headphones off, putting them on the bench beside him as he looked around. They sat on a bench with shaped contours on the bottom and back, matching the positions a person's body would naturally rest in to keep them if not comfortable, than seated for the long flight... and he took his own headphones and put them on, turning on his music and then handing Cherry his game player before she could even open her mouth to complain.